heather brown: high tide peeks

one of my regrets from my last trip home was flying off the island before heather brown's new art show debuted at chinatown boardroom. lucky for us, gallery owner (& new mama!) jackie was kind enough to gather up glimpses of many of the original artworks currently hanging on the gallery walls. longtime readers may guess that i am just crushing over heather's collection of little birdies in all their pint-sized glory . . . aren't they even cuter repeated row after row after row?

the show is filled with an array of small and big waves with nary a surfer in sight. other pieces include paintings on reclaimed wood salvaged from a north shore bungalow, and artwork introducing a more realistic style of wave.

no. 472 * 441 * 473

no. 429 * 438 * 440

if you are off-island and spotted a new favorite for your personal gallery, you are welcome to email or phone the gallery for purchasing details. (fyi: the 6x6 mini paintings start at $400.) paintings are numbered but jackie also shared that you can name your painting and heather will sign the back to make the title official!

and, if you are looking for more gently priced options, screenprinted totes ($30) and prints on sugar cane paper ($40) round out the show offerings.

• show dates: now to sat, sep 25th
• where: 1160 nu'uanu avenue, chinatown
  
• gallery hours: tue to sat, 11a to 4p

{mahalo jackie! and congratulations on the addition of the very adorable little miss parker to your 'ohana!}

photo.phile: leiko beck

bostyn's bubble

happy monday! today's photo.phile is leiko beck, a keiki and 'ohana photographer from the big island introduced by my friend kym who booked leiko to capture a few photos during a family getaway. flipping through leiko's portfolio, i found myself charmed by the absolute sweetness of her photography. her camera seems to be smitten with all the cheerful, fleeting vignettes that make up an idyllic childhood from neighborhood adventures to tiny giggles forever remembered in one picture perfect moment.

{photo.phile notes}

what inspired you to pick up the camera and start shooting?
the root of it all is probably my dad. he is a hobbyist and does AMAZING landscape photography (being a physical scientist for the u.s. geological survey based at hawai‘i volcanoes national park on the big island allows him great photographic opportunities!). i picked up his canon slr when i was 14 and fell in love with capturing memories through the lens.

photography muses that spark your imagination?
i love beautiful imagery. period. so i follow a very eclectic group of photographers, not necessarily for inspiration in the work that i shoot, but for inspiration towards life in general.

i love jen altman (an amazing polaroid photographer), audrey woulard (a natural-light child/family photographer), the image is found (mind blowing wedding/engagement imagery), clark little (surf/ocean photography), and james rubio (wedding/engagement photography) just to name a few. not only is their work awe inspiring, but it really gets you imagining what life could be like when you're doing something that you are absolutely passionate about for a living.

favorite island moment caught on "film"?
in general, i recently discovered a love for capturing any ‘ohana living the island lifestyle. for the past 2 years i primarily shot children + teens and while that has been awesome, there is nothing like watching a family interact and being able to "see" and feel the aloha they have for one another.

now, if i had to pick a specific image of an island moment, it wouldn't be one from my work portfolio but one of my son entitled in the air. it's a shot of him playing at the beach during sunset. every time i look at that image i am brought back to that day. that beach. that sunset. that moment. and for me, that's what photography is about.

any simple tricks to share on how to best capture an in-the-moment family portrait?
when dealing with keiki, especially little ones, the best way to capture an in-the-moment image would be to make sure that they are comfortable before we even begin the session. that means fed, changed, and not ready for a nap!

once that is accomplished, i often ask mom and dad to "play" with the child as they would at home. singing their favorite song, pat-a-cake, tickle-fight. you're then able to shoot the family interacting + connecting. the bonus? play time allows the family to forget for a moment that a camera is there, allowing me to capture genuine emotion.

which camera stays close by for everyday shooting?
because i am constantly inspired by the things around me, i do use my canon 5d markII almost daily. if i want something lighter that fits in my purse, i use my old canon rebel xti with a 50mm lens.

pay it forward with the best photography advice shared with you:
shoot what you love. i know it's simple, but it's so true.

local delights that are a must in your beach picnic basket?
mmmm . . . if i'm in my hometown of hilo, i'd definitely hit up hilo lunch shop for some musubi or kandie's for a bento to go. for a little something sweet, i'd stop by big island candies to pick up some delicious chocolate dipped shortbread for dessert.

mahalo leiko!

p.s. big island readers wishing for a sweet family photo of their own will want to click over to leiko's blog where she is giving away an october photo session. good luck!

and the winner is . . .

maire of kuli'ou'ou who will be scooping up a charming pop in a box gift set compliments of shop toast! my apologies for the delay in posting the lucky winner . . . my email service went down on friday and the weekend was a whirlwind split between my cousin's happy wedding day and jetting back to the mainland.

anyhoo, you still have a few days to scoop up the pop in a box during its $20 introductory offer (ending tomorrow - tue, aug 31st). btw, if you love to bake up yummy delights for gifting, be sure to take a peek at toast's new diy press/repeat baker's box complete with baker's twine, boxes, perishable stickers, plus a custom stamp to to put the finishing touch on your sweet offerings. $65 buys you enough to do up 24 treat boxes with additional box orders available.

the baker's edition can be ordered online and shipped to your mailbox or picked up at toast's kaimuki storefront.

• where: 3434 waialae avenue, suite 3, kaimuki
• shop hours: m / w / f / sat - 12p to 6p

congratulations maire!

[many mahalos jeremy & michelle!]

shop toast pop-in-a-box

my mister's hiatus has begun, the trader joe's omiyage is packed, and we are about to make our way home to celebrate my cousin's wedding. before i sign off, the shop toast 'ohana recently shared the news that a new mini pop gift set has arrived on the shelves of their kaimuki storefront. each pop in a box comes with five petite bottles which can be filled in-store with local-style yummies. add a little sticker, tie on a coordinating ribbon, and you can be out the door in a snap with a sweet and savory surprise made for gifting.

you can scoop one up for just $20 through the end of the month *or* if you are lucky to live on oahu jeremy and michelle are hosting another of toast's fabulous giveaways!

remember you must call oahu home since the pop in a box is for local pickup only. follow the fine print posted below and good luck!

• click here to send your name *and* current hometown by thu, aug 26th
• please put toast pop in a box giveaway in the subject
• one entry per person/household
• oahu readers only, please

the plan is to announce the winner on friday* . . . unless island time tinkers with my schedule. sending wishes your way for a happy and delightful week.

photo.phile: unique vision photography

bon dance lanterns

summertime is bon dance season in the islands and one of the photographs that lingers in my etsy favorites was snapped by kahalu'u photographer celina flores of unique vision photography. you can almost hear the rustle of kimono, the steady rhythm of the taiko drums, and the sizzle of andagi dough as it drops into the frying oil.

celina has a wonderful eye for finding photography subjects in unexpected places and revealing architectural details in a new light. lovely evidence that toting your camera with you 24/7 can result in unforgettable images.

dino

elevator

tarp

{photo.phile notes}

what inspired you to pick up a camera and start clicking?
i have always had a fascination with the transformation of seeing a scene in real life, looking through the viewfinder to create a composition, and then holding a finished photo in my hand. i suppose it was that transformation that captured my imagination as a curious 4 year old with very patient parents.

photography muses that spark your imagination?
for black & white photography, w. eugene smith's photos for life magazine are my favorite - such humanity captured in images, especially his country doctor and minamata series. william eggleston was a great inspiration when i learned of his work during my years in the university of washington photography program. and james turrell's work, especially his sky spaces, although not photographic, have definitely influenced the way i see the world around me and utilize light to create images.
 
favorite island moment captured on "film"?
there are so many! the light here in hawaii is so different from anywhere else. my favorite images capture this unique beauty. there's a softness, a gentleness to the sky and clouds here, especially at dawn and dusk when they are tinted pink.

any simple tricks to share on how to best capture an architectural detail?
looking up allows you to notice details most people ignore. also, light and shadow - contrast - help to bring out texture and detail.

which camera stays close by for everyday shooting?
i always carry my canon g10. i love it because it's a point and shoot camera and is small and compact, but i can shoot in raw mode, giving me more control over the final image. plus, unlike my slr which is big and heavy and gets left home a lot of the time, my point and shoot is small enough that i want to and can carry it with me everywhere so as not to miss a photo op.

pay it forward with the best photography advice shared with you:
don't feel like you have to have the newest or most expensive equipment to take good photos. start where you are. when shooting, move around! view the subject from different angles. take LOTS of photos. and keep taking them.

local delights that are a must in your beach picnic basket?
mmmm . . . mango! yee's orchard on maui must use magical pixie dust to fertilize their trees because they produce the best mangoes i've ever tasted! and spicy ahi poke is a must-have, too!

mahalo celina! you can order limited edition prints in unique vision's etsy shop and discover all the many things that inspire celina on her blog.